Systemic inflammatory regulators and 7 major psychiatric disorders: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Genetics
• Immunology

Background:

• Systemic inflammation's role in psychiatric disorders is suspected but causal links remain unclear.
• Bidirectional causal relationships between inflammation and mental health require robust investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the bidirectional causal associations between systemic inflammatory regulators and seven major psychiatric disorders.
• To identify specific inflammatory pathways implicated in the etiology of psychiatric conditions.

Main Methods:

• Two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis using genome-wide association study summary statistics.
• Examined 41 systemic inflammatory regulators against attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anorexia nervosa, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and schizophrenia.
• Sensitivity analyses included weighted median and MR-PRESSO tests.

Main Results:

• Identified 15 unique systemic inflammatory regulators potentially causally linked to psychiatric disorder risk.
• Basic fibroblast growth factor concentration was significantly associated with anorexia nervosa.
• Found evidence for 9 inflammatory regulators being influenced by psychiatric disorders, including ADHD, bipolar disorder, MDD, and SCZ.

Conclusions:

• This study provides evidence for causal links between specific systemic inflammatory regulators and psychiatric disorders.
• Findings offer novel insights into the biological underpinnings of psychiatric conditions, potentially guiding future diagnostics and therapeutics.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate causal effects for ASD, AN, and OCD.